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Robert Cottage admitted stockpiling explosive chemicals for possible civil war

A former British National Party election candidate and a dentist stockpiled explosive chemicals in advance of a civil war in Britain, a court has heard.

Ex-BNP candidate Robert Cottage, 49, wrote of assassinating Tony Blair and bought dangerous chemicals together with friend David Jackson, 62, Manchester Crown Court was told.

He also downloaded the Anarchy Cookbook – a manual on how to make bombs, the court heard. The two men deny charges of conspiracy to cause an explosion. Cottage has pleaded guilty to possession of explosives but Jackson denies an identical charge.

Cottage, who worked as a bus driver transporting disabled children to school, feared the country was almost on the brink of civil war. He began buying hundreds of pounds’ worth of chemicals from the internet and tinned foods which he stored in his house on Talbot Street, Colne, Lancashire.

Cottage told friends he would like to shoot Prime Minister Tony Blair and local Liberal Democrat peer Lord Greaves.

He even made a diary entry which read: “Thought for the day: The easiest way to save the country is to assassinate Tony Blair and when Prescott takes over, shoot that f***** as well.”

When police raided his home on September 28 last year they discovered crossbows and four air pistols together with ammunition stashed in suitcases. They also found boxes of ball bearings which the prosecution claim could be used as shrapnel for explosive devices.

Following interviews with Cottage, detectives raided Jackson’s home on Trent Road, Nelson, Lancashire, on October 1 and found a bow, arrows and two nuclear protection suits.

Opening the case for the prosecution, Louise Blackwell QC told how Cottage’s wife, Kerena, suffered mental health problems and had visited a social worker on September 28 last year. During the meeting, she explained she was growing increasingly concerned over her husband who had crossbows and large quantities of chemicals stored at their home.

This sparked a police operation and officers raided the house that evening. During the swoop they discovered 21 types of chemicals which, when mixed together, could form explosives. These included items such as hydrochloric acid, hydrogen peroxide, ammonia and methanol. They also recovered a 300-page computer document called the Anarchy Cookbook which detailed how to make different types of bombs. The trial, before Mr Justice Beatson, was adjourned until Wednesday morning.